Day Trips to Vienna from Prague

If you've already seen and made all the plans for Prague, you may want to consider visiting Vienna. Both European capitals are cities of great beauty and due to the small distance between them it is very common for tourists to travel from one to the other to visit them. The two cities are about 300 kilometres apart.

Vienna, the capital of Austria, is a beautiful imperial city located southeast of Prague. It is well connected to the capital of the Czech Republic, especially by road and rail. In this guide I will show you which means of transport from Prague to Vienna and which of them are the most recommendable.

As there are only 300 kilometres between the two cities, it is possible to travel to Vienna on an organised tour. There is the option of a one-day or multi-day tour. This type of tour starts early in Prague at a central pick-up point. It includes road transport in an air-conditioned vehicle and the journey time is 4 hours one way and 4 hours return.

Based on a day trip, you will arrive in Vienna before lunch and have the afternoon for a guided tour of the main sights of the city centre. In total you will spend about 6 hours in Vienna plus the 8 hours for the return trip. The price is usually around €130 per person. From one day upwards, the tour includes accommodation and the price increases.

Useful information

• Price: From about €130 for adults and €90 for children.
• Distance and duration of the trip: 300 kilometres and 4-5 hours. In total it takes 14 hours.
• Recommended if: You already know all of Prague and are content to see Vienna for just a few hours.

Prague and Vienna, together with Budapest, are known as the pearls of the Danube. The train has become one of the best options to move between the three cities, especially from Prague and Vienna, for many reasons. The first is its price. If you book your ticket in advance you will pay between €15 and €25 depending on the company and how far in advance you book. There are three main companies offering this trip:

• OBB Railjet, the main one and the most recommended.
• Regiojet.
• Ceské dráhy.

The second reason is the length and comfort of the journey. The trains are generally modern and with all the comfort you could ask for, and the direct journey between Prague and Vienna takes between 4 and 5 hours. Finally, we have the great advantage of being able to choose from a wide range of timetables. From 4:44 a.m. to 6:44 p.m. there is a train every hour.

The departure point is at Praha hlavní nádrazí station, Prague's central station, located very close to the Old Town and well connected by metro and tram. We will arrive in Vienna at Wien Hauptbahnhof central station in the southern part of the Austrian city.

Useful information

• Price: Between €15 and €25.
• Operating companies: OBB Railjet, Regiojet and Ceské dráhy.
• Distance and travel time: 300 kilometres and 4-5 hours.
• Recommended if: You are looking for the best value for money.

Although the train is the most popular method of travel from Prague to Vienna, the bus is an increasingly popular and equally recommended means of transport. From Prague's ÚAN Florenc bus station, next to Praha Masarykovo nádraží train station, there is a bus to Vienna every hour. From 4:55 am to 8:05 pm.

Flixbus, Regiojet or Eurolines are the main companies offering these journeys. The journey by road takes just over 4 hours and prices range from €10 to €20 depending on the company, the timetable and how far in advance you buy your tickets.

In terms of timetable and journey time, it is very similar to the train but slightly cheaper. What we save on the ticket we lose in comfort compared to the train, but it is a perfectly valid option to travel from Prague to Vienna.

Useful information

• Price: Between 10 and 20 euros.
• Operating companies: Flixbus, Regiojet or Eurolines.
• Distance and travel time: 300 kilometres and 4-5 hours.
• Recommended if: You want to save a few euros and don't mind losing some comfort compared to the train.

If you don't count the time it takes to get to and from the airport, flying is the fastest way to get from Prague to Vienna. Direct flights take only 50 minutes, but there is a big disadvantage: The price. Compared to the other transport alternatives, the plane is quite expensive. If you buy your ticket well in advance you can get it for around €70, although the normal price for a direct ticket is between €150 and €200.

There are many airlines offering flights between Prague and Vienna, but most of them are part of connecting flights, so waiting times at the airport are longer. The only airline offering direct flights is Austrian, an Austrian national airline.

If you travel by plane, the transfer time between Prague and the airport has to be taken into account. The airport is located in the west of the Czech capital and takes about 45 minutes by public transport.

Useful information

• Price: Between 70 and 200 euros.
• Operating airline: Austrian.
• Distance and travel time: 50 minutes flight time.
• Recommended if: Price is not an issue and you want to make the journey as quickly as possible.

If you've already enjoyed all the Prague plans, made the most of the more than fifty attractions included in the Prague Cool Pass and you happen to be travelling to the Czech capital by car or you decide to rent one, you should bear in mind that travelling to Vienna by car is very convenient and a good option to take into account.

The roads connecting the two capitals are very good and the journey is very comfortable. It takes less than 4 hours to drive 333 kilometres. It should be borne in mind that we will cross the border between the Czech Republic and Austria, which can lead to unexpected traffic jams. However, traffic even across the border is smooth and it should take you no more than 4 hours to reach your destination. Also bear in mind that Prague and Vienna are large cities and you may encounter traffic jams when entering or leaving them.

Useful information

• Distance and travel time: 333 kilometres and 3 hours and 40 minutes.
• Recommended if: You have a car or would like to hire one and have secure parking at your destination.

As a last resort we can hire an Uber to take us from one city to another. This is only advisable if all other alternatives fail and we can afford to pay a high price. Uber X, the cheapest fare, can cost €170.

It is true that the convenience of an Uber is very good, but it is not at all worth the price. It is not a recommended option, although it is always good to know that we have the possibility to travel by Uber between Prague and Vienna.

Useful information

• Price: From 170 €.
• Distance and travel time: 333 kilometres and 3 hours and 40 minutes.
• Recommended yes: I do not recommend it in 99% of cases. Only as an emergency alternative.

• If you choose to travel by train, bus or plane, it's best to buy your tickets in advance to get the best prices.
• Early morning travel by train or bus is cheaper.
• If you're travelling by car, bear in mind that you'll be crossing the border between the two countries, so make sure you have your documents handy.
• When choosing accommodation, take into account the distance from the train or bus stations to make your journey more comfortable on arrival.